How to switch keyboards on iPhone
Before you can use any custom keyboard, including WordBoard, you need to know how to add it in Settings and switch to it while you type. Here is the full process, plus fixes for the setup problems that trip people up most.
Quick answer
Add a keyboard in Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard. To switch to it while typing, tap and hold the globe key (🌐) on your keyboard and pick it from the list, or tap the globe key once to cycle through your installed keyboards in order.
How to add a new keyboard on iPhone
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to General, then Keyboard, then Keyboards.
- Tap Add New Keyboard.
- Choose the keyboard you want to add. Third-party keyboards like WordBoard appear under Third-Party Keyboards once installed from the App Store.
- Tap the keyboard's name in the list and turn on Allow Full Access if the keyboard needs it.
The keyboard is now installed, but it will not appear automatically. You still need to switch to it, which is the step most people get stuck on.
How to switch keyboards while typing
Once a keyboard is added, iOS gives you two ways to switch to it from any text field:
- Tap the globe icon. Each tap cycles to the next keyboard in your installed list, in the order they appear in Settings.
- Tap and hold the globe icon. A menu pops up listing every installed keyboard by name, so you can jump straight to the one you want instead of cycling through them.
If you only have one keyboard installed, the globe icon will not appear at all. You need at least two keyboards enabled (for example, the default iOS keyboard and WordBoard) before the globe key shows up.
How to reorder your keyboards
iOS switches to the next keyboard in list order, so if you use one keyboard far more than the others, move it near the top:
- Go to Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards.
- Tap Edit in the top corner.
- Drag the keyboard you use most to the top of the list using the handle on the right.
- Tap Done.
This makes the keyboard you rely on the fastest one to reach with a single tap of the globe key.
Troubleshooting common keyboard switching problems
- The globe key is missing. You have only one keyboard enabled. Add a second one in Settings and the globe key will appear.
- My new keyboard is not in the list. Make sure you installed the app first, then added it under Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, Add New Keyboard. Installing the app alone does not enable it as a keyboard.
- The keyboard reverts to default every time. iOS remembers your keyboard choice per app in most cases, but some apps reset to the system default. Switch again with the globe key; this is expected iOS behaviour, not a bug in the third-party keyboard.
- Allow Full Access is greyed out or missing. Some keyboards do not require Full Access and will not show the toggle. If a keyboard needs it for features like syncing, reinstall the app and re-add the keyboard in Settings.
- The keyboard is slow to appear the first time. Third-party keyboards load fresh the first time you switch to them in a session. After the first tap, switching back is instant.
Is it safe to allow Full Access?
Allow Full Access lets a keyboard app communicate with its own servers, which is what enables features like iCloud sync across your devices. It does not give the keyboard access to your other apps or data outside of what you type while that keyboard is active. Apple requires every keyboard extension to disclose what Full Access is used for, and you can review or revoke it at any time in Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards.
Once you can switch keyboards, put it to work
Knowing how to switch keyboards is the first step. The real value comes from what you put in the keyboard once it is installed. WordBoard turns your most-used text, templates, and replies into tappable keys, so switching to it is not just a different typing layout, it is a shortcut to everything you send repeatedly.
See iPhone keyboard with templates or how to stop retyping the same thing on iPhone for what to build once WordBoard is installed and switched on.
FAQ
- How do I switch keyboards on my iPhone? Tap the globe icon on your keyboard to cycle to the next one, or tap and hold it to pick a specific keyboard from the list.
- Why isn't my custom keyboard showing up on my iPhone? The app needs to be added under Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, Add New Keyboard. Installing the app from the App Store alone does not enable it as a keyboard.
- How do I set a custom keyboard as my default on iPhone? iOS does not have a single "default keyboard" setting for third-party keyboards. Instead, drag your preferred keyboard to the top of the list in Settings, General, Keyboard, Keyboards, Edit, so it is the first one you reach with the globe key.
- What does "Allow Full Access" mean and is it safe? It lets the keyboard talk to its own servers for features like sync. It does not give the keyboard access to other apps or your device outside of what you type while it is active.
- Why does my keyboard switch back to the default one? Some apps reset to the system keyboard in certain fields. This is expected iOS behaviour. Tap the globe key again to switch back.